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The latest retail news from Next and Morrison's offers two more sources of optimism about a return to growth.

On Wednesday, we hear the latest figures from the Scottish Retail Consortium, which have shown a striking resilience in the face of recession over recent months.

But there's a longer-running problem for retail.

It preceded recession and will continue long after it's gone.

Indeed, concern about business survival through the downturn and about jobs may be masking an issue that was on its way up the political agenda.

It's the high street, and what can be done to sustain or re-energise it.

Record vacancies

People want to know why their town centres have become dowdy and dull, and the range of shopping choices is being reduced.

These same people are often the ones who buy their groceries, and much else besides, at out-of-town supermarkets, and don't seem to see the connection.

But they do want something done about it.

One impact of recession is an increase in vacancies.

According to the British Retail Consortium, they began the year at 7%, and with the help of Woolworths' closure, they are on track to hit 15% by year end.

Some town centres already record vacancy rates of nearly 40%.

'Tipping point'

Recession is also hitting jobs.

The BRC cites figures from March this year showing 73,000 fewer jobs in retail, a reduction of one in 40 since the previous March.

These are not highly skilled jobs, but they are important entry level jobs for school leavers and part-time or unskilled adults, particularly women.

The BRC has produced a report that goes beyond the recession, with proposals for what might be done to save the nation's high streets from decline.

"Declining high streets are at best unattractive, discouraging shoppers; at worst threatening," says its report into the shopping street for the 21st Century.

Better to tackle them when they are still approaching a 'tipping point' than wait until they are in decline.

But there is a controversial observation about planning - that it tends to fudge the question of a hierarchy of towns' high streets, pretending that they can all be sustained, rather than putting effort into sustaining only some to a higher standard.

'Blighting towns'

The BRC said planners have "fudged the question of hierarchies in order to avoid blighting towns not chosen as centres of development".

But, it added "this has led to uncertainty and missed opportunities as each town attempts to provide the same offer, and fails to build on its particular strengths in meeting the needs of its community".

Crime and safety is one of the headings under which they suggest improvements.

The other theme that comes through strongly as a retailers' concern is that metered parking is seen as a cash cow for councils, and not as a means to encourage good shopping experiences.

And retailers want a relaxation of the common curfews on delivery trucks.

There are ideas in this report that may be of use for wider application.

Trams debacle

Begun in 2006, Dundee's retail awards scheme is one.

Edinburgh has helped itself through the trams debacle with a special effort to tackle fly posting and graffiti, with information 'ambassadors' to help tourists and workers find their way round the town and roadworks.

Warwick's local council funded a free, and then subsidised, bus service to bring workers from a nearby business park to the high street at lunchtime.

Chester has had a positive impact on footfall by making parking "free after three".

Every year on 4 July, Swansea celebrates 'independents day' to raise the profile of independent traders.

Coventry's city managers boosted its shopping streets with 50% of rental costs for new, independent businesses, and 25% rental subsidy to support the long-term retention of existing ones.

Two catches

All interesting ideas. But two catches. The list of proposals from the retailers puts much of the onus for improvement on local authorities, and councils are facing a very tight spending future, with the BRC wanting to see business tax cut further.

The other is the complete absence of any discussion of the effect on the 21st century high street of supermarkets - whether out-of-town or closer to the town centre.

The BRC includes the big supermarkets within its membership.

But to pretend the impact of planning decisions for supermarkets is unrelated to the market share being taken from small independent shops is extraordinary to the point of being laughable.